Journey of Hope 2016 | Page 30

to own up to it that they don’t say it and it’s very difficult to test and we cannot attend to these needs. Hannah: Do you see that happening in Afghanistan? What do you see happening in the future? stopped in Afghanistan. That we want an Afghanistan that is at peace… And that to me is to the benefit of everybody concerned. Hannah: So after all these years, what is it that makes you want to keep doing this work? Nasrine: Yes, education is making a difference in this area. Afghans are very, very loud in their wants, in stating their wants and needs…I am extremely impressed with how quickly they learn. And so I’m very hopeful. Hannah: If you had to say one thing to someone in Afghanistan who wanted an education, what would you tell them? Nasrine: Well, these people are so deprived. When somebody in the 21st century cannot read the place where the bus is going, cannot read their constitution, cannot read their children’s prescription, or cannot read their candidates name, and when somebody cannot write their own name, cannot sign their name, I as a citizen of this world feel really like I’m letting these people down. That is the least we can do for these people. Imagine if we had a majority of people this way in America. The 21st century is no longer a time when an illiterate person can have a quality of life, even the smallest quality of life. You have to be literate to have a phone; you have to be literate to have a computer; you have to be literate to have a microwave oven; you have to be literate to have a car. You know what I’m saying? 28 | JOURNEY OF HOPE Hannah: Are you worried that the withdrawal of international troops will change things? Nasrine: Well it has changed. Since the troops left last year the level of violence has skyrocketed. … So I am happy that they are now reconsidering certain components of it because no you cannot perform an operation on somebody, open heart surgery, and then leave the patient on the sidewalk. We really need to stick with the Afghans. We need to be very clear that we want the Taliban and al Qaida and Daesh and ISIS, and all these other games played by a number of countries, Nasrine: To read and write and not to give up and to send their children to school. It’s not important that the children have the latest Nike shoes, but it is very important that the children know how to read and write and to continue their education. It’s for their own good. They’re not doing it to do me a favor. They are truly investing in themselves. n To learn more about Nasrine’s work visit www.kabultec.org In the Afghan Constitution there are about eleven or so articles that mention women in particular. Check out “Constitution of Afghanistan 1382” online to learn more. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of Central Asia Institute. CENTRAL ASIA INSTITUTE